The metabolism of sameridine (LPB) (an amide-type local anesthetic-analgesic agent with a hexyl side chain) to carboxylic acid derivatives by isolated male rat hepatocytes was studied using gradient reversed-phase HPLC and mass spectrometry. Incubation of sameridine with hepatocytes resulted in the formation of numerous different metabolites. Two carboxylic acids, i.e., the C(6) and C(4) carbox...

Two new mulinane-type derivatives: 16-hydroxy mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic (2) acid and 7alpha,16-dihydroxy mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic (3) acid were obtained by microbial transformation of mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic acid (1), along with tyrosol (4) using liquid cultures of Mucor plumbeus. The latter compound has not been previously identified in the genus Mucor. Structural elucidation of these metabolites...

PURPOSE Laxative-refractory opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is defined as OIC despite using 2 laxatives with a different mechanism of action (based on the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System level 4 term [contact laxatives, osmotically acting laxatives, softeners/emollients, enemas, and others]). OIC has a significant impact on the treatment and quality of life of patients w...

Bile from the toad, Bufo vulgaris formosus, was found to contain a number of minor bile acids along with two major bile acids, 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholest-22-ene-24-carboxylic acid and 3 alpha, 7 alpha, 12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholest-23-en-26-oic acid. The following minor bile acids were identified by combined gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: cholic acid...

We investigated the inhibitory effect of the natural diterpenoids, 7alpha-hydroxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acid (salvic acid, 1), 7alpha-acetanoyloxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acid (acetylsalvic acid, 2) and the hemisynthetic diterpenoids 7alpha-acyloxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acids derivatives, 7alpha-propanoyloxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acid (propanoylsalvic acid, 3), 7alpha-butanoyloxy-8(17)-labden-15-oic acid...

Constipation is a common and often debilitating condition in the elderly, which may be caused by underlying disease conditions, structural abnormalities in the bowel, and a variety of medications such as anticholinergics, antidepressants, and opiates. In this review, we focus on opioid-induced constipation (OIC), which is often underrecognized and undertreated in the elderly. When opioid therap...

Chronic pain is a highly disabling condition, which can significantly reduce patients' quality of life. Prevalence of moderate and severe chronic pain is high in the general population, and it increases significantly in patients with advanced cancer and older than 65 years. Guidelines for the management of chronic pain recommend opioids for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pain in patients w...